Heat on Spirit and Olympic as dogfight looms to make the top six

Perth Glory moved back to the top of the NSL ladder after the weekend's round-19 action, which deepened the division between the top four and the chasing pack.

Five points now separate fourth-placed Brisbane from fifth-placed Adelaide, and much interest centres on the battle for the last two places in the top six, with six teams separated by just four points.

Perth captain Shaun Murphy was his team's hero as the defending champions went top by repeating last year's 2-0 grand final win over Sydney Olympic.

Murphy's headed goals on 76th and 83rd minutes proved the difference but his clearance off the goal line in between those efforts was just as important.

The Glory leapfrogged the inactive Parramatta, leaving Olympic running out of time to make up ground on the top six, still five points off the pace.

South Melbourne captain Vaughan Coveny scored his 100th NSL goal, from the penalty spot, to sink Sydney United 1-0 after the visitors missed a spot kick of their own. South moved into equal second place with Parramatta, who have a game in hand, and three points clear of Brisbane.

South, who had conceded late winners in their past two matches, were keen to atone but met a United team eager to assert its noted defensive credentials after uncharacteristically conceding a hatful of goals midweek.

United successfully stifled South and were set to capitalise after 55 minutes when Brendon Santalab won a penalty after cleverly holding up the ball in the penalty area, but he shot poorly from the spot. Ten minutes later, Coveny ran on to a through ball and was clipped by United keeper Liam Reddy in the act of shooting to win a penalty, which he slammed home.

Adelaide United wasted a chance to make up ground on the top four when held to a 0-0 draw by Newcastle. Neither side created goalscoring opportunities, but Newcastle keeper Tom Willis kept his wits about him to save from Adelaide veteran Carl Veart to preserve a point and move within two points of the six.

The Northern Spirit also closed to within a win of the top six with a 2-0 win over the struggling Melbourne Knights at Pittwater Park.

John Hutchinson headed home a cross on 21 minutes to put the home side in control, with the Knights blowing comeback hopes 10 minutes before half-time when, within three minutes, they missed two goal opportunities and had defender Antun Kovacic sent off.

Young Socceroo injury casualty Mark Milligan capped his return to the side by making it 2-0 after 58 minutes with a scorching 28-metre freekick.

Milligan's strike thumped into the chest of young keeper Tommi Tomich and spun into the net.

"Milligan had to pull out of the Australian under-20 squad with injury and had his first game back three weeks ago," Spirit coach Lawrie McKinna said. "On paper we still have a chance for the play-offs but we have eight first team players missing and it was a very young squad on the park."

McKinna will have further worries with the loss of goalkeeper Paul Henderson who leaves today for trials in Mexico and will be away for a week. Key player Stewart Petrie had earlier failed a fitness test with a hip injury and will face another trial later this week.

The new strike pairing of Adam Kwasnik and John Hutchinson for Spirit took time to settle down but gradually made an impact.

The Spirit are on 20 points, still within range of the top six, but face a hard run home against higher-placed sides.

A late goalkeeping blooper cost bottom-placed Football Kingz just their second win of the season, with the New Zealanders having to settle for a 1-1 draw with visiting Wollongong.